Where Islam spreads, freedom dies

Yesterday the local council in the Catalan city of Salt imposed a one-year moratorium on the granting of permits to construct new buildings for religious purposes. The initiative was motivated by a desire to disrupt plans to build a giant Salafist mosque in the city, permission for which had been secretly granted by the previous Socialist-controlled city council earlier in the year. Permits already issued are not affected by the moratorium, however. The Salafists (Al Hilal and Magrebins perla Pau) were granted a 6-month permit in March, which expires in three weeks. Unless they have presented concrete plans by then, they will have to apply for a new permit, which the moratorium will ensure they do not get (for one year at least). At the moment, they cannot go any further with the project because they do not have the funds. They have asked the Moroccan government for financial assistance, however, so it may be forthcoming.

As Josep Anglada, leader of the anti-Islam, anti-immigration party Plataforma per Catalunya (PxC), arrived yesterday at the council session where the moratorium was being debated, he was barracked and insulted by a crowd of aggressive Muslims and leftists. (See photo above.)

Today a court held an appeal against the ban on the anti-mosque protest that PxC had scheduled for tomorrow. The court upheld the ban, arguing that there was a serious risk of public disorder, citing the aggression directed towards Anglada yesterday and significant inter-communal tension that existed in the city.